This recipe began with Steven Raichlen's wonderful book
"The Barbecue! Bible" (Workman Publishing 1998) where on
page 242 you will find his Beer Can Chicken recipe. Highly
recommended book with five hundred other terrific recipes.
1. Start with a 4 to 5 pound chicken, ready
to cook, no feathers. Remove the giblets,
wash and dry the chicken.
2. Season: Prep a mixture of paprika, tarragon,
garlic, celery salt, pepper, and monstrous amounts
of Cayenne, and any other spicy ingredients you
enjoy -- call this your Spice Rub. Raichlen's Memphis
Rub (p.490) is a good choice.
Or -- try Gorilla Barbecue Super Combo Spice Rub Mix
from www.GorillaBBQ.com of Pacifica California. It's great!
3. Rub this mixture all over the outside of the chicken,
use lots. Another 1 tbsp rub within the body
cavity. Another handful in the spaces between the
skin and outer flesh. Plan to let this sit for
a while so the flavor permeates the bird.
4. Fire up the BBQ: coals in a circle, leave
a central zone clear.
5. Drink half the beer.
6. Dump about an ounce (say, one handful)
of the dry rub into the half-full beer can.
Hold the chicken vertical, neck up, stick the
beer can up up up into the chicken's body cavity.
Place onto cooking grill, keeping vertical.
Put the lid onto the BBQ. Don't let the chicken
fall over and spill the beer. Cook for one hour
and 15 minutes, no peeking! keep the heat in.
7. When cooking time is up, comes the tricky part.
Uncover the BBQ and carefully lift the chicken
off the grill onto a carving board. Extract the
beer can. Carve and enjoy.